Ohio refers 1,084 alleged noncitizen voter registrations to DOJ; LaRose says 167 appear to have voted in federal elections
Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose announced 1,084 suspected noncitizens registered to vote, with 167 appearing to have cast ballots in federal elections since 2018; the cases have been formally referred to the U.S. Department of Justice for review.
- 1,084 alleged noncitizen registrations referred to federal prosecutors.
- 167 of those allegedly cast ballots in federal contests since 2018.
- Referrals include additional alleged irregularities — double voting, votes after death, suspected ballot harvesting.
- Referrals and new verification rules are tied to an active legal challenge over BMV citizenship checks.
Investigation methods and referrals
LaRose’s Election Integrity Unit says the review relied on cross-checks of multiple government data sources to flag possible noncitizen registrations and other irregularities. The office cites comparisons with the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles, the Social Security Administration, federal jury pool records and the Department of Homeland Security’s SAVE system (Fox News).
Key action: All identified cases were referred in a formal letter to the U.S. Department of Justice criminal division for review or potential prosecution, according to officials (Fox News).
Breakdown of alleged irregularities
LaRose’s report categorizes and counts the referrals; the office lists:
- 1,084 alleged noncitizens who registered to vote.
- 167 who appear to have cast ballots in federal elections since 2018.
- 135 additional referrals for other unlawful voting activity.
- Specific counts include: 99 alleged double-votes across states in the same federal election; 16 alleged double-votes in Ohio in the same federal election; 14 alleged votes after death; 4 suspected ballot-harvesting cases; 2 alleged registrations at unlawful residences (Fox News; Hoodline).
Context: voter-roll maintenance and state action
Officials say these referrals are part of a broader effort to remove inactive or “abandoned” registrations. LaRose’s office reports removing more than 155,000 inactive or abandoned registrations during recent maintenance efforts to protect confidence in election outcomes and preserve the principle of one person, one vote (Fox News).
Legal debate: BMV citizenship verification lawsuit
What’s being challenged: A lawsuit alleges Ohio’s new rule requiring Bureau of Motor Vehicles staff to verify citizenship when registering voters adds burdens that can wrongly block eligible citizens — pointing to documentation mismatches, name changes and other administrative errors (The Cleveland Signal).
Plaintiffs argue the verification rule may violate the National Voter Registration Act by imposing steps beyond federal requirements; state officials counter the rule simply codifies common-sense verification already in practice to protect elections.
How federal rules apply — NVRA and list maintenance
Federal law (the National Voter Registration Act) requires states to maintain accurate voter rolls but does not lay out a uniform federal standard for identifying suspected noncitizen registrations. Experts emphasize a balance: states must make reasonable efforts to maintain lists while avoiding wrongful removals of eligible voters (Bipartisan Policy Center).
Reactions and political implications
Supporters: Republican officials, including LaRose, say the referrals and verification rules are necessary to deter illegal voting and restore public confidence. They frame DOJ referrals as a signal that alleged violations will be pursued (Fox News).
Critics: Voting rights groups and unions warn documented noncitizen voting is rare and contend broad verification measures could disenfranchise lawful voters, particularly those with name or documentation mismatches (The Cleveland Signal).
LaRose DOJ referral: what happens next
The DOJ criminal division will review the materials and decide whether to open investigations or pursue charges. Any prosecution will require proof that individuals knowingly registered or voted unlawfully — a high evidentiary bar. The referral supplies names, data matches and alleged supporting records, but federal prosecutors must still evaluate each case’s strength (Fox News).
Implications for Utah
Although the matter centers in Ohio, state-level enforcement trends can influence other states. For Utah:
- Budget and systems: Policymakers may consider funding enhanced list-maintenance or data-sharing tools, including SAVE checks, if demand for stricter verification rises (Fox News).
- Political effects: Results could bolster calls among conservative voters for tougher verification at motor vehicle offices and become campaign talking points.
- Community impact: Officials should balance integrity measures with outreach to immigrant communities to avoid deterring eligible voters (The Cleveland Signal).
Why these numbers matter
The count — 1,084 alleged noncitizen registrations and 167 alleged federal votes — sharpens the dispute over how aggressively states should screen and remove suspect registrations. Supporters argue strict checks protect the franchise; opponents warn database errors and mismatches risk wrongful accusations or disenfranchisement (Bipartisan Policy Center; Hoodline).
Sources
- Fox News: “Ohio uncovers over 1,000 noncitizens appearing registered to vote, sends cases to DOJ for prosecution”
- Hoodline: “Ohio secretary of state refers over 1,200 alleged voting irregularities to DOJ for potential prosecution”
- The Cleveland Signal: “Ohio sued over new citizenship verification law for people trying to register to vote at the BMV”
- Bipartisan Policy Center: “Modernizing Voter List Maintenance: An Evidence-Based Framework for Access and Integrity”
